Bush approval rating unchanged after Zarqawi's death

WASHINGTON: US President George W Bush's approval rating was essentially unchanged after the death of Al-Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a US poll said on Thursday.

Bush's approval rating increased by only one point to 37 per cent from an April poll taken by The Wall Street Journal and NBC News, when it registered its lowest level since he took power in January 2001. Fifty-eight disapprove of Bush's work as president, up one point from April.

On Zarqawi's death, 53 per cent of the 1,002 adults polled between June 9 and 12 said it would improve the situation in Iraq either a lot (16 per cent) or a little (37 per cent), while 43 percent said it would have no effect at all.

Fifty-three per cent said they were less confident of a successful conclusion to the war in Iraq, down four points from April, while 38 per cent were more confident, up five points from two months ago.

Another 53 per cent believed it was the wrong decision to attack Iraq in the first place in March 2003, against 43 per cent who thought the contrary.

On other issues, the poll found that by a 64-23 per cent margin, Americans dispprove of the job the US Congress is doing, and that by a 49-38 per cent margin most registered voters want the US Congress to change hands - both houses are currently under Republican control - in the November elections.